


Boyfriend Problems

by Spunny



Category: Persona 3
Genre: Cute, Fluff, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 09:03:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6747634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunny/pseuds/Spunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shinji and Aki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boyfriend Problems

**Author's Note:**

> Something cute (maybe.)

Took too much energy, and was so dim that that Shinji felt that he could’ve more use wandering around with a candle than rely on what little light Aki would give off. Every one of their conversations ended with fights. They fight more than an old married couple who had gotten sick of each others ugly mug a long time ago, and only stayed around because the divorce would ruin both of them. More than once they came to blows, and several times the poor leader had to intervene to keep them from killing themselves.

 

Still, despite all of Shinji’s grievances, despite the unending frustration Shinji felt…

 

…Aki was a light-bulb all the same. When he smiled that damned cocky smile it was like someone flipped the switch to ‘On.’ The colors Shinji saw seemed a little less washed out, like how they used to be before the accident, while simultaneously Shinji found he couldn’t focus on anything else but Aki’s face.

 

And some days Shinji wanted nothing more than to see that smile. On the rare occasion he cooked (it was hard to hide his hobby in a dorm always full of people), he would always watch Aki take the first bite of the carefully crafted meal, watch the way those eyes lit up like sparks were behind them, the way how his face seemed to glow so beautifully. It was breath-taking. It was exhilarating. It was senseless, shitty, romantic B.S that teenage girls dreamt of that Shinji scoffed at.

 

And Shinji loved it.

 

Shinji craved seeing it.

 

He remembered the first time he and Aki kissed. It was a cold night, and, frankly, Shinji felt like Mitsuru could’ve sunk a bit more money into getting a goddamned decent heating system for the dorm. He had created a stew, something hearty; potatoes, carrots, finely cooked meat, and a variety of spices that were, to put it bluntly, a pain in the ass to hide.

 

Minato had come home early that day, and had caught Shinji in the midst of all this preparing. Shinji’s face had flushed, and tried to use some well placed threats and glaring to intimidate the blue-haired youth into silence. Thankfully, he didn’t seem interested to spread rumors. Good thing, because it’s hard to threaten someone while your face was several shades of scarlet.

 

Pouring the stew into the three bowls (“I’m feeling generous,” he’d tell Minato, though the truth was it was more of a bribe to keep his mouth shut about this), he had set them down and then take his seat across from Aki. He stirred his dish absentmindedly, not caring for what it tasted like nearly as much as he cared for how Aki thought it was. Minato, naturally, didn’t care.

 

Aki raised his spoon, steam still rising from stew.

 

Aki lowered his head towards the spoon, mouth open to take in the home-cooked meal.

 

Aki closed his mouth around the spoon, closing his eyes as-

 

“Ah!”

 

Aki dropped the spoon, wincing in pain. “’s hot! ” he said, trying to avoid pressing down on the burned area.

 

“Tch. Of course it’s hot, you idiot.” Shinji said, standing up from his seat, snatching a paper towel as he made his way around the table. Aki had spilled it down the front of his shirt, and the spoon now laid on the dirty floor. “Don’t you ever think bef-!”

 

He didn’t get to finish sentence. Aki didn’t let him. Instead, the boxer had reached up, grabbing his friend’s head between his hand, and yanked him forward. Shinji didn’t have time to react, letting out a startled “What the-!?” before he felt his lips pressed against Aki’s, the boxer’s hands practically cradling his head while he kissed him.

 

Shinji’s mind went blank.

 

By the time it ended, he was so stunned that he didn’t notice Minato smirking at them, grabbing his bowl and deciding that perhaps eating in his room would be better for the night. To Shinji, the entire world may as well have melted until it was just him and Aki. Right there, in the middle of the dining area of the SEES dorm.

 

Aki smiled that damn cocky smile of his.

 

Shinji leaned in for another kiss.

 

Shinji always remembered that kiss clear as day. It always jumped out at him when he needed something to pick him up. Something that gave him hope

 

Much like now.

 

Now, when he had attempted to find the guy who gave him the pills for his problem, only to be jumped by a bunch of guys in a back alley.

 

Now, when he woke up to find himself on his knees, bound with rope that connected the loops around his ankles with the loops around his arms.

 

Now, when he was gagged with some dirt-stained cloth that had been shoved into his mouth and covered with duct tape.

 

Now, when he was completely helpless.

 

**

 

Aki didn’t care much for 'Justice’ or 'Greater Good’ or any of that bull-crap you could throw at him. All he cared about was the next big fight. Some enemy that could fuck him up if he wasn’t one-hundred percent focused on it. That’s what he craved. That thrill. That adrenaline.

 

So he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised that his number one sparring partner ended up being his boyfriend.

 

“Tch. I’m not your boyfriend.” Shinji would say.

 

“Oh, so you prefer 'Little Spoon,’ huh?”

 

“Wh-Whatever.” Shinji would say, voice shaking a bit, turning his head away, too slow to hide his flushing face. “Call me boyfriend if you want. I don’t care.”

 

Hiding it wasn’t easy, not with the cameras Mitsuru had in every room. Minato wouldn’t spread rumors, or didn’t care enough to spread rumors. But people (excluding Junpei) weren’t stupid; they’d be catch on something was up sooner or later if they weren’t careful.

 

They didn’t care what the others would think, but the last thing they needed was Mitsuru feeling like she had to monitor them to stop any, uh…special activities that might happen.

 

Every now and then, though, they decided to treat themselves to something. Today happened to be when they would watch a movie together. Something about a small dog. Aki preferred the boxing movie that was just released, but Shinji just looked so intent on seeing this movie.

 

That’s why Aki was worried. Shinji was already a half-hour later. The movie started fifteen minutes ago. He had to go look for him.

 

He ran through the streets, looking for his friend. Night was falling, light was fading, and still there was no sign of him. He searched through all of the old haunts of Shinji’s, hoping that he’d stumble upon him there. He even used his cell to call the dorm in the off-chance he might’ve been there.

 

He couldn’t seem to find him.

 

He ran. Ran. Ran until the sun’s last rays of light were still clinging to the sky.

 

Ran until almost every inch of the entire town had been covered.

 

Ran until he heard the sound of a commotion coming from one of the alleyways everyone avoided.

 

He had a bad feeling. He made his way down into the dark area, trying to see what lay at the other end.

 

He saw Shinji. Tied up and roughed up, bruises slowly forming on his face, though he didn’t let that stop him from giving his defiant glare. Aki was so shocked by this that he called out his boyfriend’s name without realizing it.

 

Then the other three men turned to look at Aki.

 

“Well, well, well, looks like someone doesn’t know how to keep his nose where it don’t belong.” One of them said, smirking, cracking his knuckles as he approached Aki, the other two close behind him. “Sorry to say this, kid, but you’re-”

 

Aki didn’t give him the chance to finish.

 

His instincts took over, and his training paid off. Aki didn’t hit those guys too hard. They deserved what they got and a lot more.

 

His knuckles were stained with blood by the time they ran off. Ran off liked the scared dogs they were. Aki wanted to chase them. Aki wanted to end them.

 

But more importantly, Aki wanted to check on his boyfriend.

 

Shinji looked worn out. Tired. Aki brushed the back of his fingers against Shinji’s cheeks, touching the purple bruise that had risen to the surface. Shinji flinched away from the light touch.

 

Even that was too much.

 

“Shinji. Shinji…” Aki’s voice wavered. Tears burned in his eyes.

 

Shinji said something beneath the makeshift gag. Muffled, tired, but at least he still had enough energy to speak.

 

“Hold on, this is gonna hurt.”

 

Aki’s fingers went to the edge of the duct tape. He gripped a corner tightly between two fingers. Then he pulled .

 

Shinji let out a muffled cry, though he was glad that at least he didn’t have that…and was happier still when that damn gag was removed.

 

“Thanks.” He said, wincing, probably at all of the bruises underneath his clothes. “Now help me outta here.”

 

“Yeah, right.” Aki was acting mainly on auto-pilot now, wordlessly untying his boyfriend. The knots were tough, but they were far from impossible. In a minute he had freed Shinji.

 

He watched Shinji stand up, caught him when he stumbled, then wrapped his boyfriend’s arm around his shoulders.

 

“Come on. I’ll take ya home.”

 

“Yeah. Thanks.” Shinji’s voice was still too tired. Too weak for Aki’s liking. He could only remember a few times when Shinji just sounded so…defenseless.

 

“Guess you still need your knight in shining armor, huh, Shinji?” He said, listening for Shinji’s reaction.

 

He got the exact reaction he wanted.

 

“ Tch. I could’ve taken them if they hadn’t come from behind. Bastards. Can’t believe I had to have a protein-filled meathead like you save me.”

 

His voice was lighter now. It sounded a bit less weak. It sounded alright now that he was with Aki.

 

“Maybe 'Little Spoon’ is a good title for you after all.”

 

“Call me that and you’re dead meat, Aki.”

 

Aki smiled, pulling his boyfriend close to him as they started the long walk home.


End file.
